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Dahon was awarded twice at the 2009 Annual Innovative Products Competition at Taipei last month.
The firm picked up the first-place award in the Stems and Seats category for a suspension seatpost with integrated bicycle pump. The winning piece combined an air suspension system and bicycle pump inside a single seatpost, with the internal pump used to control the amount of pressure in the suspension system as well as to pump up tires. Dahon was also awarded with a fifth place gong for a concept folding bike which folds into an ultra-compact package.
Commenting on the win, Dahon president and CEO Dr David Hon said: “Our search to improve mobility technology is never-ending.
“We’re heading into a future where fundamentally, global transport will transition from one that is focused around fossil fuel burning automobiles to one that is more energy efficient. So technology has to change and evolve and we’re happy to be a part of it.”
While the technology the firm was awarded for may not be used on bikes straight away, the Dahon president pledged that the manufacturer was committed to innovation and encouraging uptake of cycling.
“One of our main goals is to get more people on bikes by making them more convenient and easier to use. Our innovations are aimed in part at addressing these particular areas.
"Though not all of the technology that we develop will necessarily be used immediately, we are willing to invest the time and resources because we know that some of these innovations will improve our products and ultimately make the use of bicycles more accessible to everyone.”
